State Department Staffers Critique Biden’s Handling of Israel-Hamas Conflict, Call for Public Criticism of Israel
State Department staffers have expressed their dissatisfaction with President Joe Biden’s administration’s handling of the recent Israel-Hamas conflict in a dissent memo obtained by POLITICO. The memo argues that the United States should be willing to openly criticize Israel for its policies and actions in Gaza.
According to POLITICO, this memo reflects a growing loss of confidence among U.S. diplomats in President Biden’s approach to the Middle East crisis. It is said to echo the sentiments of many diplomats, particularly those at mid-level and lower ranks. If these internal disagreements continue to intensify, it could pose challenges for the Biden administration in formulating its policy toward the region.
The dissent memo highlights two key requests: firstly, the U.S. should support a ceasefire, and secondly, it should strike a better balance between its private and public messaging towards Israel. This includes openly airing criticisms of Israeli military tactics and their treatment of Palestinians, which the U.S. typically prefers to address privately.
The memo contends that the disparity between America’s private and public messaging contributions to regional public perceptions that the United States is a biased and dishonest actor, which at best does not advance, and at worst harms, U.S. interests worldwide. It insists that when Israel engages in settler violence, illegal land seizures, or excessive use of force against Palestinians, the U.S. must publicly communicate that these actions go against American values.
The sensitive but unclassified memo does not specify how many individuals have signed it or whether it has been officially submitted to the department’s Dissent Channel, which provides a platform for employees to voice policy disagreements. Its revision history, beyond the version obtained by POLITICO, remains unclear.
Nonetheless, this memo offers insights into the mindset of many State Department employees, who have long been grappling with the Israel-Palestinian conflict. When approached for comment, the department declined to address the memo specifically, as is customary in such cases. Instead, it referred to previous statements by spokesperson Matthew Miller, who noted that Secretary of State Antony Blinken welcomes such arguments and weighs them carefully, emphasizing the department’s encouragement of diverse opinions.
Reports suggest that several dissent memos related to the Israeli-Hamas conflict are currently circulating within the State Department, aiming to gather additional signatures. While the contents of these documents are rarely leaked and their classification levels may vary, they provide an avenue for employees to freely express their concerns about policy matters without fear of retribution.
According to the obtained memo, while Israel has a legitimate right and obligation to seek justice against Hamas militants who killed around 1,400 Israelis in an attack, the extent of civilian lives lost in Gaza is deemed unacceptable. The memo argues that the United States’ tolerance for such a high civilian death toll undermines the rules-based international order it has long championed. It insists that both Israel and Hamas must be held accountable for their actions.
As the Biden administration continues its efforts to navigate the complexities of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, these internal disagreements among State Department staffers highlight the challenges it faces in finding an effective and balanced approach. The administration’s ability to formulate appropriate policies towards the region may be hindered if these divisions persist.
In the coming weeks, it remains to be seen how the Biden administration will respond to these dissenting voices within its own ranks and what impact they may have on future U.S. policy decisions concerning Israel and the Hamas conflict.
